Monster
by constantlycold
Summary: AU as of the beach scene in XFC. Charles manages to convince Erik not to destroy the ships by convincing him that he's exactly like Shaw. This pushes Erik over the edge emotionally. One-shot! AU!


**This was based off a promt at 1stclasskink over at livejournal. Promt was Please could some kind anon cheer me up by writing me a fill something along these lines: Charles gets through to Erik on the beach by pointing out that Erik is in very real danger of fulfilling Shaw's dream by wanting to destroy mankind to safeguard the future of mutant-kind, and that what type of man is willing to kill people purely because they're different. Erik breaks down and is consumed by self-loathing, thinking he has become like the monsters he has spent his adulthood hunting. They return to the mansion and Charles has to pick up the pieces and convince a bitter, broken Erik that he's worth saving. I'd love angst, h/c, shouting and loss of control. I like weepy but not woobie Erik. I also adore empathic, but strong Charles. Bonus points if they have sex and Charles tops!**

**This is what I came up with. I own nothing... if I did i wouldn't be working at a coffee shop. Kinda a one-shot that I could continue if people want. It's un-beta-ed so all mistakes are mine :-)**

"Erik there are THOUSANDS of men on those ships! Good, honest, innocent men! They are just following orders!" _Please don't do this_! Charles thought. He knew he could not get through to Erik' mind while Erik was wearing the helmet. He had to find a way to get it off. If Erik was successful in destroying all the ships, not only would he start World War Three, but he would also be signing the death certificate for all mutants.

"I've been at the mercy of men just following orders" He made direct eye contact with Charles. Erik knew that if he didn't take this opportunity to kill the American and Russian ships now, they would never let them leave this island alive. He knew his little display of lifting a submarine out of water only created fear in the eyes of the humans. He knew first hand what happens to people who are not fully understood. He would not have Charles share that fate.

"Never again" With that Erik flung the missiles back at the ships.

"Erik! Release them!" Charles begged. He had to think of something fast. He knew he couldn't access Erik's mind because of the helmet. He also knew any physical confrontation between them would only end up in Erik beating the hell out of him and then continuing his assault with the missiles.

"Erik STOP! Don't you see what you're doing! You're just like him! You're just like Shaw!" Charles knew he was playing a little dirty here. He had seen Erik's memories. He knew his fears. He knew the last thing Erik wanted was to become like Shaw, but he had to make him realize what he was doing.

"Don't you understand? This isn't you Erik! This is what Shaw wants! _He_ wants destroy mankind! _He_ kills innocent men and ruins families. _He'_s the one that wants to kill everyone who is different! Please tell me you understand this Erik?"

Erik had stopped the missiles in mid flight at the mention of Shaw. He did not release them. His eyes were fixed on Charles yet he said nothing.

"Your becoming just like the man you've devoted your whole life to killing! Please Erik! Be the better man! I know this isn't you! You're better than him Erik! Please! Think of all the innocent lives you would be taking, all the ruined families. Mother's loosing sons, families loosing their fathers… and for what? You have so much good in you Erik. I've seen it. There is so much more you can give. Please don't do this" Charles knew he didn't have much time. Erik was rather going to go through with the missiles… or he was going to break down. He just had to push Erik's buttons just a bit farther.

"Think about your mother Erik. Look at yourself. Would she be proud of the man you've become? Killing random, innocent people just to complete your personal vendetta against a madman?" He was beginning to see tears in Erik's eyes. He knew he had hit the spot.

"Would she be proud that you killed thousands of men in an attempt to exterminate an innocent race? I don't think so" Erik immediately raced over to Charles.

"Don't talk about my mother!" He screamed with tears in his eyes, and then raised his fist and punched Charles squarely across the jaw.

"Charles!" Raven screamed! She and the rest of the team were standing to the side, watching the scene unfold, too afraid to do anything. She could hear the emotion in her brother's voice and it broke her heart. Charles had never really connected with anyone his entire life, whether it had to do with his mutation, or just his level of intelligence. Finally Erik had entered their lives. Not only was he a powerful mutant, but he and Charles had become the best of friends. Raven had never seen Charles happier with anyone. Hearing him try to save Erik's life was just heartbreaking.

Charles fell down quickly. He could feel blood welling up inside his mouth, but it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered to him was saving his best friend from doing something he would regret for the rest of his life, no matter what.

"She would be _ashamed_ Erik. Ashamed that her innocent little boy grew up to be nothing more than the Nazi's who killed her. A_ Monster_." He knew he hit the spot there.

"Nooooo!" Erik screamed.

Suddenly all the missiles started up again, only they did not go in the direction of the ships. Some ended up in the water… others ended up hitting each other. To the Americans and Russians it looked like nothing more than an expensive fireworks display.

Erik then fell to the ground, cradling his head with his hands. He quickly discarded the helmet. Charles was imminently greeted with the most powerful surge of grief and anguish he had ever felt. Very quickly he closed his mind from Erik's. If he were ever to calm his friend down he would need to focus one hundred percent on him, and not be distracted by the uncontrolled grief radiating from the other man. Ignoring the pain in his mouth, he quickly ran over to his friend.

"I'm not a monster. I'm not a monster." Erik kept repeating it over and over, never once believing it. He was crying freely now and that worried Charles. Erik never displayed emotion, especially in public. Too see him crying with such an audience broke his heart.

"Erik! Erik! You're not a monster!" He placed his hand on Erik's shoulder and lowered his face so he was in Erik's direct eyesight. He looked into Erik green eyes, so unaccustomed to seeing some much emotion in them.

"Erik look! You didn't kill them. You didn't do it. You're not a monster! You're nothing like Shaw. Shaw would have killed all of them in an instant. You're the better man Erik. Your mother would have been proud!" He tried to give a little smile there.

"No. No. I'm exactly like him. I've killed so many people Charles, so many people. You don't understand. You're completely right. I am a monster!" There was no way around this for Erik. Charles was completely right. He WAS Shaw. It was probably Shaw's plan from the beginning. At first he was the perfect test subject, he then evolved into the perfect killing machine. No morals. He was just like Shaw.

When he was younger he remembered thinking he would kill not only Shaw, but everyone like Shaw, who tortured innocents and ruined lives. Now he was the one killing. He was moments away from killing thousands of men… and for what? He looked into Charles' bright blue eyes. So innocent and so pure, he didn't deserve him.

"Charles. Just leave. I don't want anything to do with you… just leave me alone." The words almost got caught in his throat. Honestly he wanted nothing more than to go back to the only place he can remember calling _home,_ the mansion. He also knew that he was a danger to all the younger mutants. At this point, he didn't even deserve to be in the same race as them. He was a monster and needed to stay away from everyone, most importantly Charles, who probably hated him now.

"No, no Erik! You're not a monster at all. You're nothing like him at all. I'm not leaving you here. Please. Come back to the mansion with us. We can sort things out there" Honestly Charles just wanted to get the heck off this island. He and Moira were going to have a lot of explaining to do without having to worry about Erik. He could see the exhaustion on his friend's face.

"No… Just leave without me Charles. Go back and just forget about me." Erik cried.

Finally Charles had had enough. He took his hand that was lying on his friends shoulder and raised it slightly to Erik's head. Erik's eyes quickly shut and his whole body went slack and Charles lowered him to the ground. He hated to use his power in such an intrusive way on his friend, but at the same time he didn't have the time to argue with him. They all needed to get off this island and back to the mansion. There was no way he was going to leave his best friend here. They would go back to the mansion and he would somehow convince Erik that there is still good in him, whether he believed it or not.

**Lemme know what you think!**


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